Gas turbine



Aug. 29; 1939. P. J. SC'ANLAN GAS TURBINE Filed Feb. 7, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Pam/akin SCANLAN INVENTOR ATT R 'EY Aug. 29, 1939. P. J. SCANLAN v 2,170,952

GAS TURBINE Filed Feb. 7, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 PATR/CKJ. SCANLAN INVENTOR 29, 1939-- P. J. SQCANLAN 2,170,952

GAS TURBINE Filed Feb. 7, 1958 s sheets sheet 5 PATRICK u. SCANLAN INVENTOR AT RI'NIE Patented Aug. 29, 1939 new sTAiT Es PATENT-OFFICE oAs- TURBINE Patrick J. Scanlan, Brooklyn, N. r. Application February 7, 1938,. Serial No. 189,025

2 Claims. (c1. sea-s1) This invention relates to rotary engines of the gas turbine type, operating on the expanding force of combustible gases.

Special objects of the invention are to utilize.

g. sofaras possible, the full energy-of the fuel and to accomplish this in a simple compact design, light in weight for the power developed,

that the structure may be modified and changedin various ways all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a broken and part sectional side view of the engine.

Fig. 2 is a broken and part sectional front view of the same.

Figs. 3 and d are broken sectional details illustrating diil'erent positions of the valve mechanism and impact wheel, these views being taken on substantially the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 2. q; Fig. 5 is an enlarged broken sectional detail showing parts of the compressor, valve mechanism and impact wheel. I I Fig. 6 is a broken side elevation of the wheel.

Fig. 7 is a broken cross-sectionaldetall as on line 'i-l of Fig. 2. i

The impact wheel, designated I5, is shown fixed on a shaft it, journalledin an engine case made up of the complementary sections l1, l8. f

This wheel carries at one or both faces of th M same a blade section i9, cut or otherwise formed with the blades to provide abutments or pistons for the expanding gases. As shown particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and 6, the blade section is arcuate in shape, isflanged at its base at M, and is held in an undercut cavity in the rim of the wheel by an overstanding cover flange 22. A spring or springs 23, in the cavity in back of the blade'section forces it outwardly substantially in alignment with the annular rib re or ridge 24, projecting as a continuation of the bladed portion. r In the present illustration, the wheel carries a set of blades and the continuing annular rlidges 24, at both sides of the same and, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, these blades and extension ridges project through corresponding annular slots 25, in the opposite sides of the engine case.

The engine maybe designed to operate on many difierent kinds of fuel. The present disclosure illustrates a design for operating on gasoline, kerosene, or like fuels. Accordingly, a suitable charge forming device or devices is or are'provided such as the carburetor indicated at 26, Fig. 1, connected with the intake manifold 21, having branches 28yextending to the valve pockets 28.

Mounted to oscillate in the valve pockets 29, are valve elements comprising in the illustration an inner' valve plug 30 and a surrounding valve sleeve 8!. The inner valve member is shown as having a transfer passagefl, therethrough to register at one side with an'intake port 33, Fig. 1, connected with e. branch 28, of'the intake manifold and at the opposite side with a port 34, in the side of the pump cylinder. 35.

..-.The;innervalve-member also has an intake port 36, to register with the pump cylinder port 34, as in. 4, and'opening into a compression and combustion chamber 31, ported at 38, Fig. 3, to discharge through a-uinclined port 39, against the blades or buckets 2d, of the impact wheel.

- .The outer valve member 3i, is shown as ported in opposite sides at $0, M, to register with opposite ends'of the transfer passage 32, in the inner valve member as in Fig. '7, and with a port 42, inone side to register with the intake port -,Flg. 3, and a nozzle-port $3, in the opposite side to register with the discharge port 38, and the nozzle passage as, Fig. 3.

: For oscillating the concentric valve members inproperly timed relation to effect the combi-' nationsdllustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 7, these members may be equlppedwith rocker arms such as shown particularly at M, 45, Fig. 5, carrying rolls 47, 48, engaged by the cams 4Q, 50, on the side of the impact wheel. These rocker arms are shown as connected by a spring 5|, to cause the rollers to ride the cams at all times and suitable steps may be provided to-limitthe oscillatory motion, such as stationary shoulders located between the rocker arms, as indicated at 52, Figs. 2 and 5.

The valve pockets are shown as closed by removable cover, plates 53, Figs. 1, 2 and 5, which hold the valve members in place. The inner valve member which contains the combination compression, combustion and expansion chamber 38, also, where electrical ignition is employed, may be provided with a screw seat 54, for a spark plug 5!. The current for ignition may be fur- 3 is shown made in two complemental parts secured together by through bolts 02, and where.

as in. the illustration, Fig. 2, power is applied to both sides of the wheel, there will be two such cams, one at each side of the wheel. The piston rods 58, are shown as operating in fixed guide bearings 63, which as indicated at the left in Fig. 1 may be supplied with force feed lubrication at 6 2. The pump cylinders are shown in. Figs. 1 and 2 as having removable heads 65, and these cylin ders and the valve pockets maybe suitably cooled as by air fins 66, water jackets or the like.

The gases discharged from the combustion and expansion chambers after imparting as much energy as possible to the wheel, may be exhausted to atmosphere or, as in the present illustration, be released into the branches 8!, Fig. 3, of an exhaust manifold 68, Figs. 1 and 2.

' cam or eccentric ii, on the rotor shaft 16, complete a suction stroke and a compression stroke for each revolution on the shaft. on the suction stroke, starting with the piston as at the top in Fig. 1 and with the valve elements aligned as in Fig. 3, to provide flow through valve passage 32, a charge will be drawn from the intake manifold and through the port 34, Fig. 1, into the top ofthe pump cylinder. 0n the reverse stroke, with the valve parts taking the position shownin Fig. 4, the piston will force the charge back through the ports 34, 36, into the combustion chamber 31, and, completing its movement will compress the charge in that chamber, at which time, the valve elements will shift back to the position in-. dicated in Fig.7, tap close oil? the intake port 36. At approximately the moment of greatest compression and, with the intake port closed, the wheel-will have turned to bring the bladed por tion of the same to the discharge nozzle 39, and at such time, with intake port 36 closed and discharge port 43 opening, the compressed charge will be fired and. will discharge through this nozzle against the blades, the discharge port 43, of the outer valve element being then open to pass the expanding gas against the blades ofthe wheel. As the energy is absorbed by the wheel, the gases 'will pass on into the exhaust manifold branch 81, as in Fig. 3, or if desired, the exhaust may be direct to atmosphere.

As one cycle is completed as described, the next cycle is beginning, through the registration of the intake passages, Figs. 3 and 4, for the transfer of the next charge into the top of the compressor.

The cams for opening and closing the valve ports and for holding the combustion chamber closed during compression as in Fig. 4, and'for maintaining the pump chargi passage and the discharge ports open as in Fig. 3, can be relatively simple. All parts of the engine are easily lubricated and cooled. The pump pistons are the only reciprocating parts and these can be properly balanced so that vibration can be practically eliminated. Straight shafting only is required. vThe .inder port, a valve oscillating movement of the valve members may be quite short.

While a number of the combustion chambers have been shown for providing a plurality of impulses at each side of the wheel per revolution, it will be understood that such combustion chambers may be arranged only at one side of the wheel or about the periphery of the wheel and also if desired, there may be only one combustion chamber and hence only one impulse per revolution. Also the combustion chambers may be arranged in staggered relation at the opposite sides of the wheel as indicated in 2, or they may be directly opposite, so that the force of one will be balanced by the other. By providing a number of the expansion chambers and particularly at both sides of the wheel, it will be apparent that continuous torque may be had. Difierent fuels may beemployed and the engine be operatw on the Diesel'or'semi-Diesel principle as well as by simple electric ignition such as disclosed. Packing may be employed, if necessary, about the combustion chambers. Usually however, it is com sidered sufllcient to simply have the blade portion of the wheel yieldingly held in sliding engagement with the adjacent smooth bearing face of the valve housing as indicated at 14, Figs. 3 and 4.

What is claimed is: I

1. A gas turbine, comprising in combination a shaft, a wheel on said shaft having blades on the outer peripheral portion of the same, a pump comprising a cylinder disposed substantially radially of said shaft atone side of the wheel adjacent the outer peripheral portion and a piston operating in said cylinder in substantially radial relation to said shaft, means carried by said shaft for effecting reciprocation of said piston, said cylinder having an inlet and discharge port, a charge.

formingdevice, a supply connection therefrom, including a. port substantially opposite said cylchamber in substantially radial relation to the shaft and disposed between said cylinder and charge supply connection, a valve body rotatably mounted in said valve chamber,

. cooperative means on said wheel and valve body for effecting cyclic movements of the latter, said valve chamber and valve body having passages cooperating in one position of the valve body to #enable transfer of charge from the supply connection into the pump cylinder on the suction stroke of the piston, said valve body having a combustion chamber therein and provided with a passage to register withthe cylinder passage in another position of the valve body on the compression strokeof the pump piston, said valve body further having a port opening to the bladed portion of the wheel and said combustion chamber opening to said latter port in the first mentioned position of the valve body when a charge is being transferred from the supply connection into the pump cylinder and means for effecting ignition of the charge when said combustion chamber is in position to discharge to the bladed portion of the wheel.

2. A combination as in claim 1, in which the means-for operatingthe pump piston includes a form of eccentric on the shaft for directly actuating the pump piston and in which the means for actuating the valve body includes a cam on the rim of the wheel and a rocker arm connected with the valve body and directly enga ing said cam.

PATRICK J. SCANLAN. 

